FC Tauranga Moana have all but won the Lotto Northern Women's Championship for 2024 after seeing off Onehunga Sports 3-0 at Waikaraka Park on August 25 to close to within three points of the title, with bottom-placed Manukau United their next opponents on home turf in a week's time. "The Green Machine" enjoyed the better of things during the first half of a hard-fought affair, but found themselves trailing to an own goal scored on the stroke of half-time. Grace Duncan's angled shot wasn't on target, but the ball struck the retreating figure of Hannah Hamilton-Ralph and ricocheted into the net to give Tauranga the lead. The second half was a lively affair, with Sports keen to maintain their unbeaten home record for the season. They came desperately close to levelling the scores when Pip Meo hit the post from close range twenty minutes from time, but within four minutes the visitors had doubled their advantage, Sinead Doherty's thumping header from a Miah Smith corner giving the league leaders a decisive two-goal cushion. Briana Osborne added a third in stoppage time to the delight of her team-mates, who were all smiles come the final whistle, their team song cascading across the vast expanses of Waikaraka Park from their dressing room soon after the final whistle. Franklin United moved into second spot after scoring two wins over Birkenhead United in three days. The first triumph was recorded at Shepherds Park on Thursday evening, a 3-1 win inspired by goals from Sarah Carpenter and Chloe Marthe. "Birko" 'keeper Jacqueline Rempe was credited with an own goal on a night Abby Chad scored at the right end for the home team. It was one-way traffic at the Drury Sports Complex on Sunday afternoon, where Franklin ran riot against the team from across the Harbour Bridge. 8-1 was the outcome in the home team's favour, Carpenter netting thrice and Marthe twice in a match which saw the league's leading markswoman, Britney Cunningham-Lee, add two more to her tally for the season - she now has 25 goals to her name. Franklin captain Nikita Lieshout also got in on the scoring act, with substitute Robyn Prince netting a consolation goal for the visitors twelve minutes from time as Birkenhead endured their heaviest defeat of the season. Laura Bennett's hat-trick inspired Melville United to a 4-0 win over Central United at Kiwitea Street, a result which propels the Hamiltonians back into fourth place on the table. Stevie-Lee Tiller was also on target for the victorious travellers. Northern Rovers also enjoyed a win on the road, Ivy Calonne and Gigi Cliffe both netting twice as they saw off Manukau 6-0 at Walter Massey Park, where Harmony Naeata and substitute Jess Coyle added the extras on a day the home team conceded their 100th goal of the season. Which team will replace Manukau in next season's Championship is yet to be finalised. Papakura City and Onehunga-Mangere United are disputing the Northern Conference title, and face each other on successive Sundays in September. The league winners are set to face WaiBOP W-League champions Cambridge in an end-of-season promotion play-off. The penultimate round of matches is scheduled for this weekend, with a North Harbour derby at Shepherds Park kicking off the action on Friday night. Sunday's fare should see Tauranga complete the formalities when welcoming Manukau to Links Avenue, while Melville and Onehunga meet at Gower Park on a day Franklin and Central square off at the Drury Sports Complex. Details: Birkenhead United 1 (A. Chad (44)), Franklin United 3 (S. Carpenter (37), "oggie" (68), C. Marthe (90))  HT 1-1 Central United 0, Melville United 4 (L. Bennett (43, 63, 88 pen), S. Tiller (56))  HT 0-1 Franklin United 8 (S. Carpenter (1, 10, 15), N. Lieshout (28), C. Marthe (52, 63), B. Cunningham-Lee (65, 83)), Birkenhead United 1 (R. Prince (78))  HT 4-0 Manukau United 0, Northern Rovers 6 (H. Naeata (14), I. Calonne (25, 39 pen), G. Cliffe (63, 87), J. Coyle (73))  HT 0-3 Onehunga Sports 0, FC Tauranga Moana 3 ("oggie" (44), S. Doherty (74), B. Osborne (90))  HT 0-1